The Mission

'Once the assignment is complete, you will be escorted to the airport, where you will board a jet that will fly you to an as-yet undisclosed location.' Barry, my handler, is serious. Softly-spoken, measured. I am terrified. This is my first real mission and it involves a large serving of femme fatale. Honestly, I don't…

Parcel

On tenterhooks, I wait for the postie to arrive. It's been weeks since I placed the order and I received a delivery notification this morning, stating that my parcel will arrive today. At various times throughout the day, I realise I'm holding my breath. I relax, let it out in a whoosh and take a…

Surprise Party

There's no way she's going to make this right. This is what Jaymie thought as she surveyed the mess. Strange how, not so long ago, Jaymie and Maggie were planning a run-of-the-mill, surprise twenty-fifth wedding anniversary party for their mum and dad. Jaymie was in charge of contacting the wedding party, which took some doing.…

Visiting Dad

'What's with all the ruckus?' Dad's angry, I can tell. His face is red and if he was a cartoon character, there'd be steam coming out his ears. He pushes back his chair with such force it tips over and leaves me in the kitchen to investigate. My younger brothers are fighting in their room.…

Small Town Grieving

When Fiona walks in to take her seat at the front, the heat of a thousand gazes burns her skin. She used to know these people well. But she keeps her head low, careful to avoid anyone's eyes. The guilt of the past hangs heavy on her shoulders. It was here, in this very room…